


Magic

by woodsong_1978 (Vae)



Category: Firefly
Genre: F/M, M/M, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-09-02
Updated: 2007-09-02
Packaged: 2017-12-04 07:21:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/708063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vae/pseuds/woodsong_1978
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Valentine's Day fluff. Kaylee wanted a proper Valentines.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Magic

**Author's Note:**

> Please bear in mind the author still hasn't read the graphic novel...and this is unbeta'd. Valentine's thanks and wishes to [](http://lvs2read.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://lvs2read.livejournal.com/)**lvs2read** who usually does such an excellent job on my writings.

“Kaylee! Do we really gotta do this?”

“Aw, come on, Cap’n – it’s Valentine’s Day tomorrow. You wouldn’t be so mean as to say we can’t swap cards?”

The captain glared at her. “Swapping cards is one thing, Kaylee, but all this secrecy?”

She raised her chin. “It’s traditional. You’re not supposed to know who they’re from – ’less they’re signed, of course.”

“All of us?” Mal gestured around the room. Jayne was busily sharpening a knife and observing events. The shepherd was quietly reading at the table, while over in the lounge the doctor was sprawled in a chair with a book, trying to avoid River’s attempts to take it from him. Inara held a piece of exquisite embroidery in her hand, which she wasn’t even pretending to work on, instead watching the scene with open amusement.

“Well, I guess Wash and Zoë are excused, ’cause they’re married and they’d only give cards to each other. And the preacher ain’t likely to take part. And ’Nara’s professional. But no-one else got a reason not to!”

In the face of such cheery enthusiasm, Mal surrendered. “Okay, swap your cards. But don’t blame me if things get messy!”

She grinned at him. “They won’t, Cap’n. Might get more tidy, even.”

“I don’t even want to know what you mean by that.” He raised his voice. “All right folks, listen up. Kaylee here wants a proper Valentines Day, and we ain’t gonna disappoint her. So anyone wants to give a card to anyone, get it in here on the table without letting other folk know before dinnertime tomorrow.” 

“Oh hey, I don’t want no rutting Valentine card.” Jayne looked alarmed. 

“Don’t you go worrying, Jayne, more’n likely no-one’s gonna give you one. Dinnertime tomorrow.” Mal shot a look at Kaylee before leaving the galley.

River abandoned her attempts to steal Simon’s copy of Donne’s poems, and rushed over to whisper in Kaylee’s ear. Kaylee’s eyes widened, and she clapped a hand to her mouth to try to prevent the giggles escaping. River nodded solemnly, then took Kaylee by the hand, dragging her out of the room.

“Something about that exchange makes me feel rather apprehensive,” Simon commented, laying his book to one side. 

“Oh, come now. This could be rather fun.”

“Fun? Fun for you, maybe, Shepherd. You aren’t expected to take part in the ritual humiliation.”

“There’s no humiliation, Simon.” Inara intervened. “Just a friendly exchange of cards.”

“Huh. Save the doc ain’t ever gonna get himself a Valentine.” Jayne tucked the knife back in the sheath and hauled himself out of the chair. 

***

Next evening, the crew solemnly assembled for dinner and to witness the piles of envelopes scattered across the table. Inara was absent, pleading a prior engagement with her client register.

Wash and Zoë each had one card, and opened them watching each other over the top of the cards. After a moment’s reading, Zoë took Wash by the wrist and led him out of the room. He shrugged and went along amicably.

“Who’s next?” Kaylee’s eyes were alight with mischief.

“Your idea Kaylee, you better go next.” The captain seated himself at the table. 

“Oh – okay. I got two!” She opened the first quickly, hardly glancing at it before laughing at River. The envelope held a single playing card – Knave of Hearts. The second puzzled her, and she looked slowly around the room after opening it. It was hand-made, with a crudely drawn flower pictured on it – and no signature. “Huh. Well, guess I’ll find out eventually. Next – er, Jayne, you got two as well.”

“Don’t wanna go next.”

“Jayne – do as the lady says.”

The merc grumbled, but slit the two papers open with a bone-handled dagger. The first held a number of cut out shapes, mostly apples in green paper but a few red strawberries. The second had a detailed schematic drawing of the Callahan full-bore automatic. Jayne’s eyes got misty. “I got one from Vera.”

“You gotta say who’s next, Jayne!” Kaylee was bouncing in her seat.

“I do?” He looked confused. “Crazy girl, then. Bet she ain’t got many.”

She didn’t. River had only one card, sealed not in an envelope but with a dab of insulation sealant. She worried at the seal for a few seconds before calmly appropriating Jayne’s knife to slice through it, quickly enough that it was returned before he had time to protest. River studied the contents in silence for a moment before pacing slowly out of the room.

Simon started to head after her, but Kaylee was in his way. “Uh-uh, Simon. You ain’t opened your cards yet.”

“I have to go.”

“Open your cards, son.” The captain’s voice was lazily amused. “She can’t do much harm in two minutes. Well, nothing serious we can’t put right.”

“Fine.” Simon snapped, looking mildly surprised to find three cards by his place. One from River with a medical diagram of the left ventricle – that was more or less expected. One covered in lace and ribbons with no signature, but not really needing one. One – a plain card, with a Shakespearean quote written in flowing script – and beneath it, a time, a place and a name. Simon swallowed hard. He stared at the captain, then stuffed the cards in his back pocket and left the room at a run.

“Well, I guess we ain’t likely to find out who they were from.” Kaylee sounded disappointed. 

“Can guess at the one with the frills on.” Jayne guffawed. “You ain’t much on subtlety, girl.”

“Amazed you even know the word, Jayne.” Mal commented, seeing the hurt in Kaylee’s face.

“Gonna open yours, Mal?”

“Ain’t got any to open.”

“Yes you do, Captain.” Kaylee wasn’t letting him get away with it. “You put your arm on ’em when you sat down.”

“Kaylee…”

She folded her arms, and stared. 

“Better start ridding myself of the illusion I’m in charge round here.” Mal picked up the two cards. He also had one with ribbons tied around it – and one folded in three. In the centre of the black paper was written in silver pen a poetry quote he half- recognised, a time, a place and a name. “Huh.”

“Who’s it from, Captain?” 

“Well, I’m guessing it’s from you. What with the ribbons and stuff.”

“No, the other one!”

“You wanted secrecy. Don’t go complaining now you got it.” Mal tucked the cards in his shirt pocket, picked up the book Simon had discarded the previous day and walked out slowly.

***

Simon sat on the bed in his room, deep in thought. A quick glance at the chrono told him the appointed time had nearly arrived. He held a card in his hand, flicking it back and forth between his fingers. It read:  
 _Who sees his true-love in his naked bed,_  
 _Teaching the sheets a whiter hue than white,_  
 _But, when his glutton eye so full hath fed,_  
 _His other agents aim at like delight?_  
 _2200, your room. Mal._

The captain was seated in the common room, also holding a card, which he was referencing against a book. His card read:  
 _Oh my America! My new-found-land_  
 _2200, my room. Simon._  
He found the reference, and smiled.

At 2200 precisely, Simon opened the door to his room in answer to the tentative knock. The door was pushed back out of his hand, and the captain stood in the doorway. 

“Consider them licensed, Doc,” he said huskily, and bending his head, kissed Simon full on the mouth. 

Stiff with shock, Simon stood passively until Mal broke the kiss and pushed Simon gently back into the room.

“I’m sorry, Captain? Licensed?”

“Yeah. Looked up that poem. Damn fine writing.”

“Poem?”

Simon’s confusion finally filtered through to the captain. “Poem. On the card.”

“I never sent you a card, Captain. You sent me one.” Sure of himself now, Simon ran one hand up Mal’s suspender and took hold of his collar. “Venus and Adonis.”

“Venus and who?”

Faltering, Simon stepped back. “Shakespeare?”

“I know my classics, Doc, but not more’n the plays. Don’t recall that particular title.”

A familiar giggle drifted through the still-open door. Simon’s face set. “I think we’ve been played, Captain.” He held his card out to Mal, who took it, offering one back in exchange. The two men read the cards in grim silence.

“River?”

A face peeped round the frame. “Magic working yet?”

Simon’s shoulders dropped. He couldn’t stay angry with her. “It’s not magic, River. You can’t put people together just by sending them fake Valentine’s cards.”

She looked doubtful. “Spell,” she insisted. “Bind the broken. You want him.”

“River!” Simon flushed and cast an anxious look at the captain, hoping he hadn’t heard. “River, _mèi mei_ , you can’t just manipulate people like that. It’s not a spell. There’s no such thing as magic spells.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that, Simon. Feeling kind of spellbound here.”

Simon looked round, uncertain he’d heard correctly. A tanned hand took hold of his shoulder and pulled him backwards.

“Time to go now, River. Magic’s working just fine.”

River brightened, and disappeared from the entrance, pushing the door closed as she retreated.

“Mal?” Simon questioned.

“Simon.”

He was answered.

 

 **Note:** The abused poems are "Venus and Adonis", Shakespeare, and "On his Mistress Going to Bed", John Donne. For those curious, the appropriate verse is  
 _License my roving hands and let them go_  
 _Before, behind, between, above, below._  
 _Oh my America! My new-found-land,_  
 _My kingdom, safeliest when with one man manned,_  
 _My mine of precious stones, my empery,_  
 _How blest am I in thus discovering thee._


End file.
